


Death by a Thousand Feathers

by Mintstream



Series: Penny Parker Febuwhump 2021 [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Blood and Injury, FebuWhump2021, Female Peter Parker, Gen, Stabbing, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:54:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29114091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mintstream/pseuds/Mintstream
Summary: he teenager shook off the rubble, wincing as grit gripped into the cuts that littered her body. The girl looked behind her at the destroyed building, coughing as she tried to regain the breath she'd lost when trapped underneath. She swerved away, turning to look at the silver figure of Adrian Toomes, perched and waiting on the billboard. She couldn't think about the building she'd been over, she couldn't think about how her pitiful suit had been more or less destroyed, falling in tatters off of her, and she couldn't think about how afraid she was. She couldn't think. She had to act.Spider-Woman shivered as her spidey sense trembled up her spine. She glanced up at where Adrian was glaring into the sky, her eyes widening as she made out a ripple in the air. The StarkJet.The Vulture's wings ruffled. She leaped.Day 4: Impaling
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Penny Parker Febuwhump 2021 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114535
Comments: 12
Kudos: 84





	Death by a Thousand Feathers

The teenager shook off the rubble, wincing as grit gripped into the cuts that littered her body. The girl looked behind her at the destroyed building, coughing as she tried to regain the breath she'd lost when trapped underneath. She swerved away, turning to look at the silver figure of Adrian Toomes, perched and waiting on the billboard. She couldn't think about the building she'd been over, she couldn't think about how her pitiful suit had been more or less destroyed, falling in tatters off of her, and she couldn't think about how afraid she was. She couldn't think. She had to act.

Spider-Woman shivered as her spidey sense trembled up her spine. She glanced up at where Adrian was glaring into the sky, her eyes widening as she made out a ripple in the air. The StarkJet.

The Vulture's wings ruffled. She leaped.

Penny made it to the man in three quick bounds, clinging onto the smooth surface and shooting out a web after the metal man, whose wings rattled as he sped through the sky. The teenager was yanked, her toes ripped from the billboard and into the clearness of the September sky. 

Flight wasn't smooth like she thought it'd be. When she'd imagine her hero, Iron Man, diving through through air in a seamless, perfect arc. Instead, she shook, bounced by the air, drawing a terrified yell from her. Flying was loud, rushing through her ears and barely blocked by her thin mask that was somehow still strapped to her face.

Maybe flying in the Iron Man armor was cooler. If she survived this, _and_ managed to save everything, maybe she could ask Tony Stark. It'd bee cool to meet him, though, as she was taken through the clouds, cold droplets clinging to her and glossing over her goggles, this wasn't exactly how she'd imagined it. Hopefully the man didn't blame her for this.

Penny clung on as the Vulture flew up behind the plane, the winged man twisting carefully in air until they were under it. Penny, still being violently shaken by the wind, was bounced off of the cloaked surface. She choked back a scream as pain was littered against her bruises and cuts, instead managing to keep it to, "Oh, my god! Oh, my god!"

She shot a web that flew past her, disappearing before she could even see it. Terrified, Penny clutched her fingers into the plane, wincing as the metal bent under her touch, but it was better than nothing. Hopefully Mr. Stark wouldn't be too made about a dent. She probably had bigger problems to worry about with whatever the fuck Toomes was doing anyway.

Her goggles squinted as she watched his wings cocoon, clicking onto the surface of the plane parasitically, a whistle of wind bouncing off of the dark gray feathers. Penny took a halting crawl forward, but was immediately scooted back by the wind. She barely managed to get a grip and not be thrown off the plane completely, digging her feet into the metal.

"Come on, Penny. Come on," she muttered to herself, trying again. Every movement was slow and painful, her ribs digging painfully and her fingers streaked red as they were forced into the plane for added grip. She grit her teeth, but kept forward until she was by the wings.

Penny kicked.

Nothing happened at first, so she decided to try tearing at it, not that it gave. A drone dropped from the wings, stealing a shocked gasp from her, but it did nothing, instead it continued on straight. The plane veered, and she practically hugged the plan, clinging on as hard as she could. After a few moments, when nothing else happened, she kept kicking.

Kick. Nothing.

Kick. Nothing.

Kick. _Something._

She heard a dim alarm go on inside the plane as she continued to kick, trying to get the thing to fall off entirely. She didn't want to have to fight the wings again, but when had the universe ever taken into account what _she_ wanted?

The wings sprung to life, the motors whirring before opening. Penny gasped in fear as the Vulture dropped back, swooping away in a great arc around the plane, his wings slicing through the air mechanically. Gasping, the girl clung her way up the plane, panting with every terrified slip and just doing her best to stay in the moment. She didn't want to let go.

"Just a typical homecoming on the outside of an invisible jet..." she gasped, the wind slapping her onto her back as she failed to dig her fingers into the plane door, "Fighting my girlfriend’s dad."

A screeching caught her attention. She swiveled hastily, shooting a pitiful web and ducking just in time to avoid the slice of wings. Sparks came to life, searing the air with heat.

The Vulture flew and so did she. Penny yelled, shooting back a desperate web at the plane. She was left suspended between the two, her arms feeling like they were going to break for a second before the web snapped. She let go.

Penny hung in air for a terrifying moment, flung as the plane moved ever forward, its jet ready to swallow her whole. She screamed, her throat scratchy as she held out her arms and shot with everything she possibly could. Her eyes squeezed shut as she was caught in. When they blinked open, it was to find her snugly caught in the webbed propeller.

"Wow. I can't believe that worked," she gasped. The propeller fell from its socket, and Penny barely managed to grab on, kicking off of the broken piece of the plane and managing to pull herself back up, "Sorry, Mr. Stark."

Any other thoughts or quips were stifled by Toomes' return. Penny dove, the wings sliced where she'd just been, more sparks fizzing as she tried desperately to cling on. Tried.

The wind swept her back, and she tried to force back a grip, barely managing to stick her hands. She slid, stuffing her boot against the ground, the sound of a propeller whirring behind her. The teenager looked under her, her eyes widening in terror as she caught sight of the back half of the jet, a wheel of fire.

The Vulture dove back down, claws scraping against the plane as he dove towards her, his green eyes alight. Penny allowed herself to be swept back, attaching a web to keep herself from flying away and narrowly avoiding the swiping cut of his wings, scraping painfully in a gutterul noise. His wings cut again, this time snapping her web.

Penny screamed as she was forced back, flying into the air as Toomes clawed forward. Her scream was cut as she slammed against the propeller, narrowly missing the cutting blades and instead flying back, her entire body aching with pain and pumping adrenaline. Quick as a shot, she latched out a web, hanging on as smoke filled the air, flying into her face.

The plane began to dip.

Towards the city.

"Oh, my God!"

Spider-Woman began forward, climbing up the web, clawing her way back onto the plane. She dove towards the center, ignoring the Vulture who was digging into the plane.

Penny shook out her hands, her breaths short and shallow with the height and adrenaline, shooting a web and attaching herself to to ground. With a heavy grunt, she pulled.

The plane twisted. Her arms burst.

The city underneath them stretched, falling behind and instead being replaced by the tall twists of Coney Island. Better than the city.

The web snapped and she fell to her knees, curling her fists into the plane's wing, her eyes squeezing in a silent prayer. The plane crashed.

Sound left her. All she was aware of was the pain as she was launched, tumbling in a million rolls into the sand, her skin tearing and scratching. He goggles snapped against her face painfully, pushed in just a little too far. Heat scratched at her, tugging and clawing uncomfortably at her.

Penny finally came to a rolling stop, lying with her back against the stirred up sand. Fire rose in dark red plumes all around her, and she was sure it was crackling, and that the wind was roaring, but she could hear nothing but the ringing of her own ears.

She gasped as she sat up, fumbling hands tugging at her mask, tugging the fabric off desperately. She grunted as it practically peeled off of her, throwing it into the sand in painful disdain before stumbling back onto her elbows. Coughing, the girl rolled onto her arms and knees, picking herself up, her feet dancing in exhaustion.

A tingle ran up her spine. She turned, squinting. Green eyes and sharp claws burst from the night sky.

She gasped, the world returning in a rush of sound as the metal clamped around her pushing her into the sand. She tried to tear at the claws digging into her shoulders, screaming at the wounds she could feel forming as the tips broke her skin. The wings whirred, lifting her into the sky. Penny tugged, and they let go.

She swirled, gasping for air as she shot a web, flinging herself into the armored man, unbalancing him and forcing him to dip low. But it wasn't enough.

The wings shuddered, shaking her off and slamming her against the ground. A pained mumbled escaped, her eyes closing, the grit in her eyes forcing her to blink them back awake in the hazy red. Blood trickled from her mouth.

The Vulture flew closer, extending a hooked feather. It went through her stomach. Penny screamed.

It came out as a gurgle, but the pain was still loud. It was overwhelming, searing and tugging, but it didn't end there. Toomes picked her up through the wound, lifting her as though she were a steak on a skewer. He looked at her like she was one, too. But then he looked past her, hunger and desperation filling his eyes.

"Bingo."

She could only let out a mumbled scream as the feather retreated, leaving her to fall back down onto the ground. Red seeped into the sand and spluttered from her lips. A winged shadow passed over her.

Determined and fearful, Spider-Woman crawled, flipping herself over with an agonizing scream, a cold shudder screaming through her. The teenager managed to turn enough to see the Vulture clamped onto a broken box of arc reactors. His wings were just as broken, fizzing and crackling and smoking. They were going to explode.

"Your wing suit," she tried to warn, "Your wing suit’s gonna explode!"

Penny, trembling, inched her hand forward, grunting in pain as she clicked down on her webshooters. A thin line shot out, attaching itself to the man. She lifted herself up, pulling with all her might but falling to her knees immediately. Her legs refused to hold her body, but she would hold her will.

The Vulture pulled back at her tug, flashing a smile back at her, blood leaking from a cut above his lip, "Time to go home, Pen."

"I'm trying to save you!!"

Her cries fell on deaf ears. Hauntingly familiar, the wings lifted, snapping her web into. She fell onto her back once more, tumbling into the sand, a silent scream of pain escaping her lips. Penny only managed to look up as the Vulture lifted up, the man disappearing in a sea of hot red.

Penny ran into the fire.

* * *

Tony Stark stared at the fire.

His mouth hung agape, his brows furrowed as he examined what had once been his plane now strewn across a dark, sandy beach. Fires were still lighting up the sky, dark clouds of smoke rolling. What confused him most however, was the way boxes were all piled together. Not just together, _stacked,_ and organized by what was in them.

And, of course, wrapped with a bow (or in this case, sticky white webs) and a cherry on top of an old man, a sour but accepting look on his face as he stared up at their flashlights. He gestured towards a paper stuck beside him.

Tony squinted, hastily scribbled on the paper read, _'_ _FOUND FLYING VULTURE GUY. SPIDER-WOMAN. P.S. SORRY ABOUT YOUR PLANE.'_

Tony glanced at Happy beside him, who raised his brows in confusion.

"Spider-Woman?" Happy asked, the word unfamiliar to him, but not to Tony. He didn't know the kid, didn't know who they were either, but he'd heard of the new vigilante that had popped up in Queens.

"Yeah, she saves cats from trees and helps little old ladies. And knocks my jet out of the air apparently," Tony answered, turning back to the man, "Start talking."

"About what?" the man snapped.

"Oh, I don't know. Who you are? Why you did this? Where did Spider-Woman go? Just a couple of starters."

"I'll save my answers for the police, thanks." Tony huffed. "And I wouldn't be so worried about where Spidey is. I doubt you'll have to deal with her anytime soon."

Tony didn't like the sound of that. Whatever had happened here, he wanted answers, "Elaborate on that." The man raise an eyebrow at him. Tony rolled his eyes, he held out a gauntlet watch that whined as it charged, "Look, I'm a little peeved about what happened tonight, so either we do this the easy way, or the hard way."

The man sighed, shifting as if unbothered, but he pointed his head to their left, saying, "She went that way, but I doubt she'll get far. She's a little...banged up."

There was something in his voice, suggesting. This man thought Spider-Woman was going to die. Tony swore, beginning to run off, "Hold down everything here, Happy! I'll be back later!!"

"Where are you going!?" Happy yelled back, but Tony didn't answer, he was already in search.

Most of his suits had been on the jet, but he'd kept one with him as a precaution. He stepped into it now, shooting off into the air before the helmet had even fully formed over his face. His screen lit up, messages from frantic members of his company or stock investors at the news of what had happened. He forced it to the side for now. Lives came first.

"I don't want to see any messages right now, Fri," he scolded, steadying himself in air, squinting as he tried to find the usual springy red figure from Queens, "We're looking for Spidey. I want heat signatures, anything abnormal. Look through cameras too, find her."

"Yes, sir."

Tony zipped across rooftops, scanning the ground below him, searching for _anything_ that indicated the superhero's whereabouts. He didn't have to search for long. Friday popped up barely a minute later, a route glowing on screen.

"I found video footage from about ten minutes ago featuring Spider-Woman. She appears critically injured."

"Show me the video."

The footage popped up in front of him, dark and grainy. He squinted to make out the figure in front of him. Her mask was gone, and her suit--if you could call it that--was clearly in tatters. He couldn't see her face, but he caught sight of bouncy hair, previously wrapped up in what looked like an intricate updo, now torn down and flaying out every which direction. The woman stumbled, catching onto a wall and heaving. She remained there for just a minute too long before she raised an arm and zipped away.

"Take me there, Fri."

His AI obliged, the suit zooming in the direction of the alleyway, but when he arrived, there was no one there.

He clunked down against the pavement, his head swinging around as he tried to figure out where the vigilante had gone. He froze. There was blood. A _lot_ of blood. What hadn't before been visible on the camera could be seen now. Red splatters on the ground, pooling thickly and sluggishly. He had to get to Spider-Woman. _Fast._

"Heat signatures, Fri," he ordered. And, thinking about how much blood she'd lost, he added, "Prioritize colder ones nearby."

A moment later, there was a slightly red outline, small and not in the alleyway, but close. He flew towards it, shooting up and diving back down to the alleyway over.

He didn't know if his heart had ever dropped as far.

Hidden in an open dumpster, barely a bloody hand peeking out, was Spider-Woman. No, woman wasn't the right word, this was a girl. A _kid._ A kid who was covered in blood and whose heat was rapidly fading and whose eyes were closed. A kid who was dying.

He swallowed, "Friday. Is she...is she alive?"

"She has a heartbeat, sir, but it is rapidly declining. She needs help. Now."

Determined, he reached into the dumpster and wrapped his arms around the kid. He wasn't going to let her die. Not for his stupid plane and not without at least learning her name. She especially wasn't going to bleed out in a dumpster in that horrid suit.

Tony hoisted her out of the garbage, gently cradling her in his arms and wincing at the blood that was already dripping onto the ground. Gritting his teeth, he launched into the air, doing his best to keep the girl stable and shooting towards the Compound. Friday was already alerting the staff to have a medical team ready.

Looking down at the girl, he hoped he was fast enough.

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

The blinking was rhythmic, falling in a high pitched ting that grounded her. She needed to be grounded, everything else was floating. She wished she'd stop floating. She didn't like the way it felt. The girl didn't feel like her own person, like she'd just been there all her life and like there was no escape. No escape from the fuzzy darkness that engulfed her.

And then the darkness disappeared. Not all at once, but slowly. The world came back to her piece by piece.

After the beeping, it was the pain. The pain started at her abdomen, sharp and biting, and Penny would've grunted if she could, but whenever she tried to make noise and reach for her aunt, all that came out were pained whimpers.

And then her eyes blinked open.

It was bright, and she had to squeeze her eyes shut immediately, grunting in pain at the brightness. A soft voice beside her said, "Turn the lights down, Friday."

Friday? Who was Friday? And who was that voice? She was sure she recognized it from somewhere...

Penny fluttered back awake, turning towards the slightly familiar sound and freezing. There, sitting on a hospital chair beside her, was Tony Stark. His goatee was sharp and his eyes piercing, just like he was on TV and in pictures, but he was different from the pictures too. For some reason, Penny had only been able to picture him in a suit, but right now he wore tattered jeans and a frayed shirt that had a permanent stain on it.

Her mouth hung open, shocked and frozen in terror. Her brain short-circuited. Where was she? Why was Tony Stark here? Was she dreaming? A nightmare? It felt like a nightmare.

Mr. Stark leaned forward, a flash of concern on his face, "You okay, kid? How are you feeling?"

Penny clamped her mouth shut with an audible click, "Fi--fine. I'm fine. How are--how are you?"

He _laughed,_ and Penny was suddenly made aware of how stupid the question was as her face turned cherry red, considering she was in a hospital bed. Well, it looked like a hospital bed. Was she in a hospital?

"I'm good, kid, thanks to you," he said. She stared up at him with wide eyes. "Thanks for saving my stuff by the way. That was a real brave move, and the Avengers have a lot to thank you for."

"I--uh-thanks. Thank you, sir," she squeaked.

"Don't call me 'sir,' kid. You can call me Tony, Penny." She froze at her name. Mr. Stark rushed to assure, "I won't tell anyone. Your secret's safe with me, don't worry."

Penny sighed, "Thank you."

"No need for thanks. You're the one who saved my plane."

Penny shrugged, "I just couldn't let him take all that stuff and sell it. And I don't think I 'saved' your plane."

He chuckled. "You came close enough."

Penny played with a loose string on her blanket, nervous and slightly flushed "Um, what time is it? And does, uh, does anybody know I'm here?"

"It is 1 AM, and if you're referring to your aunt, she thinks you're at your friend's to spend the night."

"Oh, cool, um thanks."

Mr. Stark rolled his eyes.

"So, your suit was pretty destroyed in your fight," he started, getting up. Penny tried to sit up, her eyes tracking him across the room as he grabbed a suitcase, bringing it back over to him, "And I think you deserve a new one."

He sat back down, holding out the suitcase to her, wary, she grabbed it, gingerly placing it in her lap. She pressed the button, gasping as it lurched open, bright red and blue greeting her. She glanced between the suit and Mr. Stark rapidly, her mouth agape. He smiled at her amazement.

"This is...this is mine?"

"Yep. And if you'd like, a mentorship with yours truly."

"Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that. Thank you, Mr. Stark."

"First lesson." She sat up straighter, waiting for what he was about to say in anticipation. "Don't call me Mr. Stark."

She giggled.

"Of course, Mr. Stark."


End file.
